by AlphaOmega 65 Replies latest watchtower bible
Cultswatter, prior to 1995, there was another teaching in 1927 which stated that the generation consisted of "the anointed".
Unhighlighted copy here : http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff160/AlphaOmegaPics/Watchtower/Generation/1927-GenerationTeaching-OLDLIGHTNEW.jpg
Thank you very much for making this available .We are indebted.
In "1984" Orwell wrote of his hero Winston Smith
"He thought as he adjusted the Ministry of Plenty's figures, it was not even forgery, it was merely the substitution of one piece of nonsense for another. "
The 1995 explanation seemed nonsense to me and I was in then, perhaps it was the start of my doubts? But this one is farcical .
I am no scholar but their explanation seems to me to stretch our understanding of the English language to elastic proportions.
Jesus sat on a hilltop in 33ce having discussed the destruction of the temple mount, and he told the group of followers that "This generation will by no means pass away until all these things are fulfilled" - What would they understand him to mean? Surely that they and their contemporaries , men around say 30 years old, would see the end of it. This was something that would affect the whole community. Jesus was not talking about them alone as a group.
What is a generation in the English language? since there is no argument that it is the correct translation of Jesus original word.
The Oxford Dictionary says :
gen•er•ation / 1 [ C +sing./ pl. v . ] all the people who were born at about the same time : the younger / older generation My generation have grown up without the experience of a world war. I often wonder what future generations will make of our efforts. 2 [ C ] the average time in which children grow up, become adults and have children of their own, (usually considered to be about 30 years) : a generation ago My family have lived in this house for generations . 3 [ C , U ] a single stage in the history of a family : stories passed down from generation to generation a first- / second-generation American (= a person whose family has lived in America for one / two generations) 4 [ C , usually sing. ] a group of people of similar age involved in a particular activity : She has inspired a whole generation of fashion school graduates. 5 [ C , usually sing. ] a stage in the development of a product, usually a technical one : fifth-generation computing a new generation of vehicle 6 [ U ] the production of sth, especially electricity, heat, etc. : the generation of electricity methods of income generation
I would expect the first and obvious definition to be the one that should be applied to Jesus words IF it is to apply today." all the people who were born at about the same time :" and that was the belief up to 1995 when it became inconvenient to hang on to it. They now apply the fourth possible meaning " a group of people of similar age involved in a particular activity" {That activity being of the anointed remnant}
But can we really apply it to a small group like the anointed? We may speak of "The Beat Generation" or the "Hippie generation" because they were both movements that drew in enormous numbers of people of that age group at that time, enough to be a brand or recognizable feature of people of that age.
The anointed are by definition a small number entering through a "narrow gate" and "few are the ones finding it " - so how can their existence be a marker or identifying tag for the people of the age group????
Correct me if I have misunderstood something but this is ludicrous - only those who want to believe will accept it inwardly. Most of the rest just go along and leave the thinking to the others.
at least its most honest article ive read in a while. two things!
a) be always honest, when changing understanding of a bible passage
b) force noone to believe a current understanding and dont view anybody as apostate if he discusses his alternative understanding with others
Pre 1995
The "generation" applys primarily to the great crowd and secondarily to the remnant
Time period of "generation" Start: 1914 or prior to 1914. End: great tribulation (big A)1995 - 2008
The "generation" applys primarily to the great crowd and secondarily to the remnant
Time period of "generation" Start:(No start time given but does NOT start counting from 1914) . End: great tribulation (big A)2008-?
The "generation" applys exclusively to the remnant
Time period of "generation" Start:1914 or any time thereafter . End: great tribulation (big A)
mmh my understanding is:
Pre 1995
The "generation" applys primarily to the great crowd and secondarily to the remnant
Time period of "generation" Start: 1914 or prior to 1914. End: great tribulation (big A) but not later than a human lifespan (70-80 years) counted since 1914.
1995-2008
The "generation" applys to the "generation" of ppl living in the last days. Not limited by a humans lifespan.
Time period of "generation" Start:(No start time given but does NOT start counting from 1914) . End: great tribulation (big A) no real limit just "near"
2008-?
The "generation" applys exclusively to the remnant
Time period of "generation" Start:1914 or any time thereafter . End: great tribulation (big A) No real limit either since the remnant doctrine which suggested that the collecting was over was changed in 2007.
i might be wrong :) im young :P
Actually, the new understanding is even more ridiculous than some have suggested. Paragraph 11 of the article states: "the apostles would no doubt have understood that they and their fellow disciples were to be part of the 'generation' that would not pass away 'until all these things [would] occur.'"
So the Society is saying that ALL of the "anointed" are the "generation" that Jesus was talking about. Starting basically from Pentecost till Armageddon. In other words the Society is saying that Jesus was referring to the entire Christian church as the "generation" that would not pass away. Which begs the question, why didn't Jesus simply say that his followers would not pass away or that his church or his bride would not pass away? The new understanding makes no sense at all if that is who they say Jesus is referring to here.
What exasperatingly tortured lines of reasoning "this journal" has used over its more than 130 years of existence to squeeze idiotic interpretations out of ancient scripture.
Now "this journal" is reverting to the simple words attributed to Jesus. Any 3rd grade Sunday school kid could've told "this journal's" dull-headed writers that when Jesus said "this generation" he actually meant his generation. Dah!
In other words the Society is saying that Jesus was referring to the entire Christian church as the "generation" that would not pass away.
When I was growing up and had my weekly bible study with my mom, I learned that "this generation" had two fulfilments. That when Jesus was talking to his apostles about them being the part of "this generation that would not pass away until all these things occur", he referred to the time passing until the destruction of Jerusalem in the year 70 AD.
I also learned that this prophesy had a second fulfilment (they always have, haven't they?). And this second fulfilment started in 1914 and ending with the big A.
In paragraph 10, it's being referred to "the contemporaneous generation of unbelieving Jews" vs. "the modern-day fulfillment".
And paragraph 15 has this footnote:
The time period during which "this generation" lives seems to correspond to the period covered by the first vision in the book of Revelation. (Rev. 1:10-3:22) This feature of the Lord's day extends from 1914 until the last of the faithful anointed ones dies and is resurrected.—See Revelation—Its Grand Climax At Hand! page 24, paragraph 4.
So they are still talking about "this generation" passing from 1914, but it's crazy enough as it is
kifoy
Please someone give me a timeline explanation of the term generation. Iam so confused now. Please break it down for me.
Don't you think it's ironic that this update on 'generation' is in the new 'study edition' of the WT, and not the public version? Do you think they deliberately don't want the public to see this so they cannot reason on it and pick it apart? This way only believers who will not question this will read the article.
Boy, I am a "little" bit smart, but all these changes are dumbing me down. I regret to inform that from
this day forward I will NO LONGER be studying my watchtowers/books. I will NO longer answer at the meeting.
I will be going to meeting on cuise control.
the question is: how am I going to do theocratic school talks?
